Stevie Wonder knows how to throw a party. His 22nd Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert, held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday night, Dec. 9, was a joyous occasion with lots of audience sing-a-longs, surprise superstar guests and it was an evening filled with love and hope.

The annual celebration has served as a massive toy drive for the L.A. area as Wonder’s We Are You Foundation non-profit distributes the toys to children, people with disabilities and families in need during the holiday season. Year after year fans turn out and bring enough new, unwrapped toys to fill U-Haul trucks, however this year, Wonder said with all of the devastation that occurred due to the recent California wildfires, he felt it would be inappropriate for him to not also make this year’s event a benefit for those who lost “lives, property and their dreams.”

“Tonight is not just the House Full of Toys, it’s a House Full of Hope,” Wonder said just before thanking all of the firefighters and first responders, some of whom were invited to the show as special guests for the evening. Wonder partnered with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) Music For Relief to help raise funds for those who lost so much in the fires as well as the first responders, firefighters and their families. Those attending the House Full of Toys/Hope Benefit Concert were encouraged to donate through EIF’s Fire Fund website or text a $25 contribution.

As Wonder talked about the devastation, he got choked up, but was very clear when he announced: “There is such thing as global warming,” he said. “So tell ‘whoever’ to stop talking that (nonsense).”

In keeping with the spirit of the holidays, he kicked off the evening with “That’s What Christmas Means to Me,” during which he played a little bit of “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells” on his harmonica. He brought out his daughter, Aisha Morris, who helped play co-host for the evening, and Wonder sang the song he wrote about her birth, “Isn’t She Lovely.” Unlike in previous years, Wonder exited the stage, leaving Morris and bringing out comedian and fellow co-host for the evening, Chris Spencer, to run the show. This year’s set wasn’t all about Wonder, rather a version of his Stevie Wonder’s Song Party: A Celebration of Life, Love & Music which featured L.A. based-DJ Mal-Ski and a slew of special guests performing a wide variety of music.

Morris and Spencer introduced boy band 4th Ave., which came out and performed its single “XOXO.” The guys were followed by R&B singer-songwriter and former “R&B Divas: Los Angeles” star Chanté Moore who sang “Every Day’s Like Christmas” off of her “Christmas Back to You” album. Ari Lennox, a stunning singer-songwriter who was just signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, delivered her single, “Whipped Cream,” and Ro James, who was born in Germany but grew up in Queens, New York, got a huge response from the crowd with his song “Permission.”

British singer-songwriter Daley was a nice fit for the evening as well. Morris noted that during rehearsal, Daley’s soaring, smooth vocals inspired her father to start writing a new song right then and there. Daley certainly proved himself, sharing his single, “Looking Up.” Soul singer-songwriter PJ Morton, who was nominated for three Grammy awards for best R&B album, best R&B performance and best traditional R&B performance on Friday, showcased his talents with “First Began.”

Mid-show, Wonder returned to the stage for a duet of “Little Drummer Boy” with Morris. Though the moment was marred by technical difficulties, they finally figured it out, all mics were working and singer-songwriter Anderson Paak joined in by jumping behind one of the three drum kits on stage. English singer-songwriter Ella Mai received a personal introduction from Wonder, who said when he heard her voice, it “got me all messed up in my brain,” he said. “I fell in love again when I heard this song.”

Mai, who is 24 years old, came out and performed her song, “Boo’d Up.” Another big moment in the evening came when Wonder introduced singer and percussionist Sheila E., who came out and literally destroyed her drum set up during “The Glamorous Life.” She too received a standing ovation, however the moment was cut short when Wonder asked if she’d stay on stage to play drums for another song, obviously not realizing she had just tossed around her drums. A few stagehands helped her quickly pick up the mess and she was back on track as Wonder also invited Moore back out to help him with “My Cherie Amour.”

Morton returned to the stage to duet on the keys with Wonder for a rousing, almost reggae-style version of “Winter Wonderland” and Lennox came back out to duet with Wonder on his “Creepin.” Daley had the pleasure of joining Wonder on “You and I” and Mai once again captivated the crowd as she roared along to “Superstition” with Wonder before he closed out the show with “Another Star.”

Kelli Skye Fadroski lives for entertainment. She’s worked at The Orange County Register since 2006 and has covered all things music, stand-up comedy, horror and more. When she’s not out reviewing a concert or interviewing some random famous person, she’s catching up on episodes of 'The Walking Dead,' somewhere sampling craft beer, enjoying Taco Tuesday or yelling at the contestants through the TV on 'Celebrity Name Game' for not knowing basic pop culture trivia. She’s also a diehard Detroit Lions fan.